Combined package and mailing cover



May 6, 1958 F. J. LEFEBVRE Erm. "2,833,400

COMBINED PACKAGE AND MAILING COVER Filed April 23. 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet1` May s, 195s F. J. LEFEBVRE ETAL 'I COMBINED PACKAGE AND MAILING COVER4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 23, 1956 May 6, 1958 F. J; LEFEBVRE Erm.2,833,400

COMBINED PACKAGE AND MAILING COVER Filed April as, l1956 l 4sheets-sheet s l WCC/Yy May 6, 1958 F. J. LEFEBVRE ETAL.

COMBINED PACKAGE AND MAILING COVER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 23, 1956r v J0 f W e W .U W m W H. W W W M m. M m M n. n W ,.H. W W W. M M.. W mW 2,833,410 Patented May 6, 1958 2,833,4ev COMBINED PACKAGE AND MAILINGCOVER Frank J. Lefebvre, Caldwell, andV Richard W. vMiller, Livingston,N. J., assignors to Ivers-Lee Company, Newark, N. J., a corporation ofDelaware Application April 23, 1956, Serial No. 580,093 11 Claims. (C'l.20a-s6) The invention relates in general to packages of the typecomprising an approximately at rectangular bag, envelope or likecontainer formed of superposed sheets of material, and a protectivecover `formed of ilexible material relatively stiffer than the materialof which the container is formed, the cover being folded around thecontainer, there being small articles such as medicinal tablets,caplsules or the like sealed between said sheets `of material of thecontainer in individual compartments.

When placing a new commodity, such` as a medicinal tablet, capsule orthe like, on the market, samples of the product are mailed, for example,to members of the medical profession. It is, of course, necessary thatthe commodities shall be adequately protected from damage in shipment.Also, it is desirable that the commodities be neatly packaged for readyaccessibility after having been received by the addressee, and duringthe period that the package is carried on ones person as the com`modities are being used. It is highly desirable that theseconsiderations be accomplished with a minimum of han- `dlingandpackaging costs. g

In accordance with our invention, a package of the type generallydescribed above is provided with a cover constructed to furnish -both amailing` or addressing portion and a neat package which may be carriedon ones person and affords ready accessibility to the contents duringusage, or after the package has been delivered and opened. Our improvedcover structure permits simple opening and conversion of the mailedpackage to a neat carry package, protection of the contents both inshipment and during usage being provided. Moreovenhandling for mailingand shipment is kept to a minimum, thereby furnishing the beneiits oflow cost. In the preferred form of the invention, additional removableprotective means isprovided to prevent damage of the commodities duringshipment.

Another vaspect of the invention resides in forming the cover withimproved package closure means.

Still another aspect of the invention resides in forming the cover witha separable or detachable portion which serves as an index card havinginformationthereon con# cerning the packaged product. f

' Other objects, advantages and results of the invention Fig. 2 is arear elevational view of the package shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevational view of the package 'showing the first stepin the opening of the package;

Fig. 4` is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the next step in the openingof thepackage; y

Fig.' 5 is a rearcelevational View showing thepackage closure means ofthe package in opened position, permitting the 'package to be unfoldedfor access to the commoditiesvin the container;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing the reverse or front side ofthe partially opened package of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the package, partly broken away, after havingbeen unfolded to a condition just prior to folding back the closure flapportion to expose the underlying container of articles;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 showing the closure flap portion of.the coverfolded back and exposing the' packaged articles, a frame orguard for protecting the articles during shipment being shown;

Fig. 9 is a partial plan view showing the reverse side of the package`illustrated in Fig. 8; l

Fig. 10 is a vertical cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale, takenapproximately in the plane of line 10-10A of Fig. 8; l l Fig. 11 is aview similar to Fig. 7 showing the manne in which the mailing andpackage closure portion of the cover is removed to convert the mailedpackage to a carry package permitting ready accessibility to thearticles and restoration of the package to closed condition;

Fig. 12 is a plan view of the carry package after the closure ilapportion has been removed from under the container-attaching llap, aguard sheet being swung out-A wardly away from over the container toexpose the container of articles;

Fig. 13 is a vertical cross-sectional view, on an enlarged l Fig. 15 isa front elevational ,view of another embodi.

ment of a combined package and mailing cover made in accordance with ourinvention;

Fig. 16 is a rear elevational view of the package shownl in Fig. 15;

Fig. 17 is a vertical cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale, takenapproximately in the plane of line 17--1 of Fig. 15;

Fig. 18 is a rear elevational view of the package showf ing the packageclosure means in opened position, thereby permitting the package to beunfolded for access to the commodities in the container, this view alsoshowing the manner in which the closure means is detached from thepackage cover to provide an index card;

Fig. 19 is a plan view of the package in its fully opened or unfoldedcondition;

Fig. 20 is a view similar to Fig. 19 showing the manner in which themailing and package closure portion is removed to convert the mailingpackage to a carry package;

Fig. 21 is a front elevational view of the closed carry package, theclosure ap portion of the cover being re# movably received under thecontainer-attaching ap;

Fig. 22 is a rear elevational view of the carry package of Fig. 2l; y

Fig. 23 is a vertical cross-sectional View, on an enlarged scale, takenapproximately in the plane of line 23--23 of Fig. 2l;

Fig. 24 is a front elevational view of a combined pack-l age and mailingcover ma-de in accordance other embodiment of our invention;

Fig. 25 is a rear elevational View of the package shown in Fig. 24;

Fig. 26 is a plan view of the package of Figs. 24 and 25 in its Ifullyopened condition;

Fig. 27 is a vertical cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale, takenapproximately in the plane of line 27-27 Fig. 25;

Fig. 28 is a View similar to Fig. 27 showing the manner in which thepackage closure means in manipulated 3 or folded to securely lock thepackage in closed condition; and

Fig. 29 is a view similar to Fig. 28 showing the resultant lockedpackage. y

Referring to the drawings, the invention generally comprises a combinedpackage and mailing cover which includes an approximately flat commoditycontainer A having thin exible walls providing at least one compartmentin which a commodity is enclosed. The container is secured to, andenclosed in, a relatively stiff but tiexible cover B. The covercomprises a main body panel b having a length and breadth slightlylarger than the length and breadth of the container. The main body panelis juxtaposed to one wall of the containerl The cover is furtherprovided with a container-attaching flap f having an edge adjacent anedge of the main body panel b, the container-attaching flap beingjuxtaposed to the opposite wall of the container. The containerAis-secured to the cover B intermediate the adjacent edges of the mainbody panel and the container-attaching ap. The opposite edge of the mainbody panel is provided with a closure flap C adapted to be juxtaposed tothe `same wall of the container as the container-attaching llap. Theclosure flap is formed to engage, or to be removably received under, thecontainer-attaching ap. The cover B is further provided with a mailingand package closure portion D separably connected, as by means of ascored line, to the cover. The portion D includes an addressing panel aand package closure means e. The addressing panel has substantially thesame dimensions as the main body panel b, and is adapted to be exposedon one side of the package when the package is closed. The packageclosure means e is adapted to be disposed on the opposite side of theclosed package. The package closure means serves to maintain the coverclosely surrounding the container, but provides for opening of the coverto open the package for access to the container.

In the preferred form of the invention, the flexible walls of thecontainer A are sealed together in zones to form and bound thecompartment or compartments in which the commodity or commodities areenclosed so that at least one wall of the container bulges from theplane of the container wall. To protect the articles against damagesuchas crushing during shipment,'a guard member E of relatively stiffmaterial is pressed between a wall of the container from which thecompartment bulges` and an adjacent portion of the cover. The guardsheet is provided with an opening in register with and encircling thebulging wall of each compartment. The thickness of the guard sheet isgreater than the distance that the compartment bulges from the plane ofthe corresponding container wall, and is approximately equal to thenormal distance between the plane ofthe container wall and the adjacentportion of the cover. In this manner, the guard member is held againstslipping out of the package when the package is closed, though the guardmember is otherwise free `from and unconnected with either the commoditycontainer or the cover.

Specifically describing the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1to 14, and referring more particularly to Figs. l0, 12, 13 and 14, thecontainer A is formed of two layers 1 and 2 of suitable flexiblematerial such as cellophane, Plioflm, metallic foil paper or the like.This material may be thermoplastic itself or may have a thermoplastic orfusible coating so that the juxtaposed layers can be caused to adheretogether by application of heat and pressure, or the layers could besealed together with an adhesive. These layers may be of any suitablesize and shape but are shown as rectangular sheets. As shown, the layersare heat sealed and crimped in zones 3 forming and bounding compartments4 between the layers in which articles, such as medicinal tablets 5 areenclosed. The container thus comprises a sheet of integral sub-packages,each containing a tablet and being separable from the sheet along scorelines 6, as shown in CSX Fig. 12. The walls of each compartment tightlygrip the articles between them and bulge or project beyond the generalplane of the container within the sealed zones 3. The container has amarginal extension 7 projecting beyond the packaged articles. Themarginal extension is utilized for attaching the container to the coverB.

The cover B preferably comprises a single strip or sheet of ilexiblematerial such as heavy paper or carton stock that is relatively stifferthan the layers of which the container A is formed. As shown in Figs. 8and l0, the cover includes the main body panel b juxtaposed to one sideof the container A. The main body panel has a length and breadthslightly larger than the length and breadth of the container. Thecontainer-attaching flap f is disposed on the opposite side of thecontainer with its top transverse edge 10 coincident with or adjacentthe transverse edge 11 of the main body panel. Preferably, the main bodypanel and the container-attaching llap are integrally formed andhingedly connected by a fold 12 as shown in Figs. 10 and 14. Themarginal extension 7 is secured to the cover B intermediate the adjacentedges of the main body panel and the containerattaching flap. As shown,the marginal zones of the main body panel and the container-attachingflap adjacent the fold 12 rare both secured to the marginal extension ofthe container, and this may be accomplished by the application of heatand pressure where the layers 1 and 2 are thermoplastic or have exposedthermoplastic coatings. Preferably, the sealed Zone is also crimped asindicated at 13. The remaining areas of the main body panel and thecontainer-attaching flap are unadhered to the container.

The cover B is formed with the closure flap C along the edge of the mainbody panel opposite the fold-line 12. The closure ilap is adaptedto bejuxtaposed to the wall 1 of the container and to engage thecontainer-attaching ap f. The closure flap may be a single panel, but ispreferably formed of two panels 14 and 15 as shown, they being hinged toeach other by a fold-line 16. The closure flap panel 15 is adapted to befolded at 16 against panel 14 and both closure ap panels may befolded atfoldline 17, so that the edge defined bythe fold 16 may be removablytucked under the container-attaching flap f. The closure flap panelshave a length or height slightly less than the corresponding dimensionof the main body panel. To allow forv the thickness of the container Aand the commodities therein, and the protective guard member E, a narrowend panel 18, defined by fold-lines 17 and 19, is provided intermediatethe main body panel b and the closure ap C.

As shown in Figs. 8 and 11, the mailing and package closure portion D isseparably connected to the container-attaching flap f. Although means,such as a staple or staples, adhesive, or adhesive tape, may be used tomake the `separable connection of the parts in abutting or overlappingrelation, it is preferred to make the mailing and package closureportion an integral part of the cover B, and for this purpose the edgeof the container-attaching ap, `designated 20 (Fig. 11), is detachablyconnected to the portion D by a scored line or line of perforations 21.

The mailing and package closureV portion D comprises an addressing panela, package closure means e and a connecting portion 24 providing asection of cover material to bridge the space between the addressingpanel and the container-attaching flap. The addressing panel hassubstantially'the same length and breadth as the main body panel. Theconnecting section and the containerattaching ap have a combined lengthsubstantially equal to the length of the main body panel. Each of theaforementioned portions or panels of the cover are lof equal breadth asshown. An end panel may be located intermediate the connecting section24 and the addressing panel a to accommodate the thickness of thecontainer A, its contents and the guard member or members E.

The end panel is defined by fold-lines 26 and 27, and is adapted tooverlie the end panel 18 when the package is closed and ready formailing. between the addressing panel a and the package closure means e.

The package closure means of the mailing and package closure portion ofthe cover is formed by die-cutting the cover material to furnish a pairof two separate, substantially triangularly-shaped locking sections 29and 30, separated from each other by a central longitudinally extendingslit 3l. At the extremity of each locking tion, locking tabs 32 and 33are provided for cooperation with a locking slot 34, which may belocated on either the container-attaching ilap f, the connecting section24, or intermediate these two portions of the cover, as shown, on thescored line 21. The breadth of each locking tab is less than the lengthof the locking slot 34. The overall breadth of both locking tabs isgreater than the length of the locking slo't. At the base of eachlocking tab, the material is recessed, as indicated at 35, sov that atthese areas the combined breadth of both tabs is less than the length ofthe locking slot. This arrangement permits each locking tab to beindividually inserted or removed from the locking slot, Whereas whenboth tabs are in the locking slot the package is closed and the cover ismaintained closely surrounding the container.

As shown in Figs; 8, 10, 12, 13 and 14, the articles 5 are protectedagainst damage, such as crushing during shipment, by a guard member E.The guard member is shown as comprising two sections 36 and 37, each ofwhich comprises a sheet of stiff material such as cardboard, with eachsheet having a plurality of openings 38 therethrough so spaced that onemay register with each of the compartments 4 when one of the sheets islaid under the container and the other sheet is laid over the container.The openings encircle the compartments and are substantially larger indiameter than the articles. The thickness of each guard sheet is greaterthan the distance that the compartment walls project from the generalplane of the container and about equal to the distance of the closure apor the main body panel of tthe cover and the portions of the containersurrounding the compartment. The aggregate thickness of the sheets 36and 37 is greater than the thickness of the compartments containing thearticles, as best shown in Figs. 13 and 14. y

Thus, when the guard sheets 36 and 37 are disposed at opposite sides ofthe container A with the openings 38 in register with the respectivecompartments 4, and with the closure flap C in closed position, theguard sheets will be prevented by the projection of the articles andcompartment walls into the openings 38 from sliding laterally away fromthe container and out of the cover. When the closure flap C is openedand removed from under the container-attaching flap f, the uppermostguard sheet may be swung away from the container, from the positionshown in Fig. 8 to the position shown in Fig. 12, so that thesub-packages can be easily separated from the container along the scoredlines 6. If desired, both guard sheets may be easily slipped out of thepackage and thrown away, the sheets being intended primarily to protectthe tablets during shipment. This protecting guard structure and itsrelationship to the container of commodities is more fully described inthe pending patent application of Lloyd I. Volckening, Serial Number499,690, led April 6, 1955, now Patent No. 2,780,353, having the sameassignee as the assignee of the present invention.

The completed or combined package and mailing cover as received by theaddressee is shown in Figs. l, 2 and 13. The main body panel b isjuxtaposed to the wall 2 of the container. to the opposite wall, orwall 1. The marginal extension 7 is secured to Ithe cover intermediatethe adjacent edges of the main body panel and the container-attaching apby the sealed zone 13. The closure ap portion C is removably receivedunder the container-attaching apj.

The container-attaching ap f is iuxtaposed A fold-line 28 is located Themailing and package closure port-ion D has the addressing panel athereof juxtaposed to the side of the main body panel b opposite theside to which the container'A is disposed, and therefore exposed on oneside of the package. The addressing panel is separably connected to thecontainer-attaching flap by the line of perforaftions 21, the connectingsection 24 and the end panel 25 bridging the space between the edge 27of the addressing panel and the edge 20 of the container-attaching flap.The package closure means e, with its two locking sections 29 and 30, isjuxtaposed to the container-attaching ap side of the package in a mannerto maintain the cover closely surrounding lthe container but providingfor opening of the cover to open the package for access to thecontainer. The guard sheets 36 and 37 are pressed between the main bodypanel b and one wall of the container, and the closure ap portion C andthe other Wall of the container. The guard sheet openings 38 are inregister with and encircle the bulging Walls of the compartments 4 sothat the guard sheets cannot slide laterally away from the container andout of the cover.

For access to the contents of the package, first one locking tab 33 isremoved from the locking slot 34, as shown in Fig. 3, and then the otherlocking tab 34 is removed from the locking slot, as shown in Fig. 4. Theseparate locking sections 29 and 30 permit each locking section to beturned and lifted so that each tab may be slid or angled out of thelocking slot. The package is then in the condition shown in Figs. 5 and6. Upon further unfolding, to the condition shown in Fig. l1, the

mailing and package closure portion D of the cover may` then be removedby tearing across the scored line 2i, whereupon the closure ap portion Cmay be easily removed from under the container-attaching ap f, as shownin Fig. 12. After removal of the guard sheet or sheets 36 and 37, atablet or the like may be removed from the container A by tearing alongthe scored lines 6. Thereafter, the user may retain the guard sheets orthrow them away. The remaining package is neat, compact and handy andmay be carried in ones pocket or purse with the container of commoditieswell protected by the retained part of the cover. As shown in Figs. 12and 14, the cover B now has the closure flap C which may be readilytucked under, or removed from under, the container-attaching Hap f toexpose or enclose the container A and its contents.

Where the package is used for distribution of pharmaceutical products,it may be desirable to print directions on the inside of the cover in amanner which permits the physician to retain the printed directions andgive the patient such directions as he may deem advisable in case theprinted directions do not Wholly apply to the particular patientscondition. This may be accomplished by printing the directions on theinside of the mailing and package closure portion D, visible in Fig. 8,which the physician removes before he hands the carry package to thepatient.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 15 to 23, and as moreparticularly shown in Figs. 19 and 20, the cover B is constructed sothat the mailing and package closure portion D is separably connected tothe lclosure flap C, instead of to the container-attaching ap f, asshown in the previous embodiment. The mailing and package closureportion is detachably connected to the closure flap by a scored line orline of perforations 40. The addressing panel a has a locking panel 41hinged to one edge thereof by a fold 42. The locking panel is providedWith a laterally extending locking slot 43 adapted to receive theclosure means e. The closure means is hinged to the other edge of theaddressing panel by a fold 44. The closure means is provided with alaterally extending scored line 45, and the cover stock is die-cut atthis area to furnish a locking tab 46 of a width to permit the tab to bereceived in the locking slot 43. The locking tab is contoured to provideanoffset portion 47 package.

The index card may be separated from the cover immediately after openingof the package, as shown in Fig. 18.

When the package is in closed condition ready for Vmailing, as shown inFigs. 15, 16 and 17, the panel 14 is juxtaposed to the wall 1 of thecontainer A, and engages,

. or is juxtaposed to, the outside of the container-attaching ap f. Theother closure flap panel is folded at 16 back over onto panel 14. Thelocking panel 41 is juxtaposed to the side of the main body panel bopposite the side `juxtaposed to the container A. The add-ressing panela overlies the closure flap panel 15, and the package closure means e,or the locking tab 46 is, of course, on the opposite side of the closedpackage and disposed in the locking slot 43 of the locking panel.

After the package has been opened, and the mailing and package closureportion D has been separated from the cover B, as shown in Fig. 20, theclosure ap panel 15 is folded at 16 onto the closure tlap panel 14, and

1 both panels arc folded at 17, so that the edge defined by the fold 16may be removably tucked under the cont taincr-attaching flap f, as shownin Fig. 23.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 24 to 29, thecover B is similar to the cover illustrated in Figs. 14 to 23, exceptthat the closure tlap C comprises a single panel 48, or a double panel,one of which, designated 49, also constitutes a locking panel having alocking slot 50 to receive the package closure means e. The mailing andpackage closure portion D may be separably connected to the cover by ascored line 51 between the addressing panel a and the locking panel 49,or by a scored line 52 between the panel 49 and the panel 48. If adouble-paneled closure llap is desired, the mailing and package closureportion D is separated from the cover along the line 51, whereupon thepanel 49 is folded against the panel 48 along the fold-line 52, and theedge of the folded panels deined by the fold 52 is removably tuckedunder the container-attaching iiap fwhen the combined package andmailing cover is converted to a carry If it is desired to havea closureflap comprising a single panel, then the fold-line 52 is scored fordetachment along this line, whereupon the panel 48'is folded over ontothe container A with the edge 52 removably received under thecontainer-attaching Hap f.

The package closure means e is hinged to the addressing panel a by afold-line 53. This portion of the cover is die-cnt to provide a `lockingtab 54 havinga width permittingthe tab to be removably inserted into thelocking slot 50 `when the cover is folded to closely surround thecontainer A. The package closure means is provided with two transverselyextending and longitudinally spaced fold-lines 55 yand 56, so that afterthe tabA 54 is inserted into the locking slot 50, an object, such asapencil, may be inserted from the side of the` package and the tabreverse-bent or pushed in the direcetion indicated by the arrow in Fig.28, whereupon the tab is locked within the interfold provided by thefold-line 55 and the fold-line 56, as shown in Fig. 29.

It will be apparent that the means for locking the cover closelysurrounding the container, as shown in the latter embodiment of theinvention, may be used in the forms of the invention illustrated inFigs. l to 14, or in Figs. 15 to 23. package closure means of Figs. l5to 23 may be utilized as the package closure means of the coverstructure shown in Figs. l to 14, or Figs. l5 to 23, the cooperating toreceive the package closure means orlocking tab.

Also, the index card feature of the The cover B, asspeciticallydescribed and illustrated, comprises-a` single Vintegral sheet or stripof material, all the panelsf'or portions of which are detined by thedescribed fold-lines and scored lines. When the marginal zones of thecontainer-attaching flap and the main body panel are both secured oradhered to opposite sides of the marginal extension 7 of the container,the cover at this area need not be integrally connected by the foldline12. Instead, the cover may comprise two separate pieces of cover stock,the bonding of the layers at this area serving to connect the parts.When the main body panel and the container-attaching ap are part of asingle integral sheet connected by the fold-line 12, as shown, theextension 7 may be heat-sealed or adhered to the margnal zone of thecontainer-attaching ap only, thereby leaving the marginal zone of themain body panel adjacent the fold unadhered. The desired stiffness ofthe container-attaching flap is provided by the connection to themarginal extension. It will be understood, however,

that while the foregoing modifications are within the purview of theinvention, the illustrated and described cover construction, wherein allthe parts thereof are made in the form of a single unitary sheet orstrip, is preferred for reasons of handling and economy.

The invention also contemplates the packaging of powders, liquids andpaste, as well as articles such as tablets, in the container, and theterm commodity container as used in the appended claims is intended todenote a container of this general nature.

Itis believed that the advantages of our improved package will beapparent from the foregoing detailed description. It will also beapparent that while the invention has been shown and described in itspreferredform, the aforementioned and other changes may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention,

Y as sought to be defined in the following claims.

We claim:

l. A complex package and mailing cover comprising an approximately atcommodity container having thin flexible walls providing at least onecompartment in which a commodity is enclosed, said container including amarginal extension, and a relatively stiff but flexible cover, saidcover comprising a main body panel having a length and breadth slightlylarger than the length and breadth of said container and juxtaposed toone wall of the container, a container-attaching flap having an edgeadjacent an edge of said main body panel and juxtaposed to the oppositewall ofthe container, said marginal extension being secured tosaid coverintermediate said edges, the opposite edge of said main body panel beingprovided with a closure tlap adapted to be juxtaposed to said oppositewallof the container and to engage said container-attaching Hap, and amailing and package closure portion comprising an addressing panel andpackage closure means for maintaining the cover closely surrounding saidcontainer but providing for opening of the cover to openf the packagefor access to said container, said addressing panel having substantiallythe same dimensions as said main body panel and adapted to be exposed onone side of the package when closed, said mailing and package closureportion being separably connected to said cover.

2. A combined package and mailing cover comprising an approximately iiatcommodity container having thin V,exible walls providing at least onecompartment in which a commodity is enclosed, said container including 1a marginal extension, and a relatively stiff but tiexible cover, saidcover comprising a main body panel having a length/and breadth slightlylarger than the length and breadth of said container and juxtaposed toone wall of the container, a container-attaching flap connected to oneL' edge of the main body panel and folded overiupon the opposite wallvofthe container, said marginal extension i locking slot, of course,being made of a width suflicicnt`f15iibil1t3v OCated intermedia@ themain bOdY Panel and the container-attachingtlap and secured to thecontainer-attaching iiap adjacent `the fold, the opposite edge of said ymain body panel being provided with a closure ap l adapted to beremovably received under said containerattaching ap, and a mailing andpackage closure portion comprising an addressing panel and packageclosure means for maintaining the cover closely surrounding saidcontainer but providing for opening ofthe cover to open the package foraccess to said container, said addressing panel being separablyconnected to said container-attaching flap along one edge thereof andsaid closure means being connected to said addressing panel along theopposite edge, said addressing panel having substantially the samedimensions as said main body panel and adapted to be juxtaposed thereto,said closure means adapted to be juxtaposed to the container-attachingflap side of the package. l

3. A combined package and mailing vcover comprising an approximatelyflat commodity container having thin flexible walls providing at leastone compartment in which a commodity is enclosed, said containerincluding a marginal extension, and a relatively stiff but exible cover,said cover comprising a main body panel having a length and breadthslightly larger than the length and breadth of said container andjuxtaposed to one Wall of the container, a container-attaching apconnected to one edge of the main body panel and folded over upon theopposite wall of the container, said marginal extenpanel being separablyconnected to said container-attach-v ing ap along one edge thereof 'andsaid chosure means being connected to said addressing panel along theoppo-y site edge, said addressing panel having 'substantially the samedimensions as said main body panel and adapted to be juxtaposed thereto,rsaid closure means adapted to be juxtaposed to the container-attachingiiap side of the package, said closure means including a locking tabformed to provide an index card, saidlocking tab being separablyconnected to the addressing panel.

4. A combined package and mailing cover comprising anapproximately flatcommodity container having thin flexible walls providing at least onecompartment in which a-commodity is enclosed, said container including amarginal extension, and la relatively stiff but flexible cover formed ofn a single stripv of material, said cover comprising a main body panelhaving a length and breadth slightly larger than the vlength and breadthof said container and juxtaposed to one wall of the container, acontainer-attaching flap connected to one edge of the vmain body paneland folded over upon the opposite wall of the container, said marginalextension being located intermediate the main body panel and thecontainer-attaching ap and secured to the container-attaching flapadjacent the fold, the opposite edge of said main body panel beingprovided with a closure ap adapted to be removably received under saidcontainer-attaching flap, and a mailing and package closure portioncomprising an addressing panel, a connecting section and a packageclosure panel, said connecting section being connected to one edge ofthe addressing panel by a fold line, the other edge thereof beingseparably connected by a scored line to the edge ofthecontainer-attaching ap, a package closure slot located on the scoredline, said addressing panel having substantially the same dimensions assaid main body panel and adapted to be juxtaposed thereto, thecontainer-attaching ap and the connecting section having a combinedlength substantially equal to the length by a fold-line and adapted tobe juxtaposed to the container-attaching flap side of the package, alocking tab provided by the package closure panel adapted to beremovably received in said slot to thereby maintain the cover closelysurrounding said container by providing for opening of the cover to openthe package for laccess to said container.

5. A combined package and mailing cover comprising an approximately atcommodity container having thin llexible walls providing at least onecompartment in which a commodity is enclosed, said container including amarginal extension, and a relatively stiff but exible cover,

said cover comprising a main body panel having a lengthv and breadthslightly larger than the length and breadth of said container andjuxtaposed to one Wall of the container, a container-attaching flapconnected to one edge of the main body panel and folded over upon theopposite wall of the container, said marginal extension being locatedintermediate the main body panel and the container-attaching il'ap andsecured to the container-attaching flap adjacent the fold, the oppositeedge of said main body panel being provided with a closure flap adaptedto 'be removably received under said container-attaching ap, and amailing and package closure portion comprising an addressing panel andpackage closure means for maintaining the cover closely surrounding saidcontainer but providing for opening of vthe cover to open the packageforaccess to said container, said addressing panel being separablyconnected to said closure flap along one edge thereof and said closuremeans being connected to said addressing panel along .the opposite edge,said addressing panel having substantially the same dimensions as saidmain body panel and adapted to be exposed on one side of the packagewhen closed, `said closure ymeans adapted to bedisposed on theoppositeside vof the package. v ,g

6. A combined package and mailingcover comprising an approximately fiatcommodity container having thin flexible walls providing at least onecompartment in which a commodity is enclosed, said container including amarginal extension, and a relatively stiifrbut flexible cover, vsaidcover comprising a main body panel having a length and breadthslightlylarger than the lengthV and breadth of said, container andjuxtaposed to one Wall of the container, a container-attaching iiapconnected to one edge lof the main body panel and folded over-upon theopposite Wall of the container, said marginal extension being vlocatedintermediate the main body panel and the coning -the cover` closelysurrounding said containenbut providing for-'opening of the cover toopen the package for access to said container, said addressing panelbeing separably connected to said closure flap along one edge thereofand said closure means being connected to said addressing panel alongthe opposite edge, `said addressing panel having substantially the `samedimensions as said main body panel and adaptedto be exposed on one sideof the package when closed, said closure means adapted to be disposed onthe opposite side of the package, said closure means including a lockingtab formed to provide an index card, said locking tab being separablyconnected to the addressing panel.

7. A combined package and mailing cover comprising an approximately ilatcommodity container having thin flexible Walls providing at least onecompartment in which a commodity is enclosed, said container including amarginal extension, and a relatively stiif but exible cover,

lsaid cover comprising a main body panel having a length and breadthslightly larger than the length and breadth of said container andjuxtaposed to one wall of the container, a container-attaching apconnected to one Vedge of the main body panel and folded over upon theopposite wall ofthe container, said marginal extension being locatedintermediate the main body panel and the containerattaching liap andsecured to the container-attaching ap adjacent the fold, the oppositeedge of said main body panel being provided with a closure flap adaptedto be removably received under said container-attaching ap, and amailing and package closure portion comprising an addressing panel andpackage closure means for maintaining the cover closely surrounding saidcontainer but providing for opening of the cover to open the package foraccess to said container, said addressing panel being separablyconnected to said closure flap along one edge thereof and said closuremeans being connected to said addressing panel along the the oppositeedge, said addressing panel having substantially the same dimensions assaid main body panel and adapted to be exposed on one side of thepackage when closed, said closure means adapted to be disposed on theopposite side of the package, said closure means including a locking tabadapted to be reverse-bent intermediate its edges.

8. A combined package and mailing cover comprising an approximately flatcommodity container having thin flexible walls providing at least one`compartment in which a commodity is enclosed, said container includinga marginal extension, and a relatively stiff but llexible cover formedof a single strip of material, said cover comprising a main body panelhaving a `length and breadth slightly larger than the length and breadth4of said container and juxtaposed to one wall of the container, acontainer-attaching ap connected to one edge of the main body panel andfolded over upon the opposite wall of the container, said marginalextension being located intermediate the main body panel and secured tothe container-attaching ap adjacent the fold, the opposite edge of saidmain body being provided with a closure ap adapted to be removablyreceived under said container-attaching flap, and a mailing and packageclosure portion comprising Van addressing panel, a locking panel havinga locking slot therein and a package closurepanel, said locking panelhaving one edge thereof connected to one edge of the addressing panel by-a fold-line, the other edge of the locking panely being separablyconnected by a scored line to the closure` flap, said addressing panelhaving substantially the same dimensions as said main body panel andadapted to be exposed on one side of the package when closed, saidpackage closure panel being connected to the opposite edge of saidaddressing panel by a vfold-line and adapted to be disposed on theopposite side of the package and inserted into said locking slot and tomaintain the cover closely surrounding said container by providing foropening of the cover to open the package for access to said container.

9. A combined package and cover comprising an approximately flatcommodity container having thin flexible walls providing atleast onecompartment in which a coml ll modity is enclosed, and a relativelystift but tiexible cover comprising an elongated strip of materialsecured to and closely wrapped around the container but providing forunwrapping and opening of the cover to open the package for access tothe container, a locking slot formed in said cover strip intermediateits ends and a locking tab provided at one end of the cover stripadapted to be removably received in the locking slot, said containerincluding a marginal extension, a portion of said cover strip providingarnain body panel having a length and breadth slightly greater than thelength and breadth of the container and juxtaposed to one wall of thecontainer, another portion of said cover strip providing acontainer-attaching flap having a margin extending transverse of thecover strip adjacent and parallel to a margin of said body panel andjuxtaposed to the opposite wall of the container, said marginalextension of the container being secured to the cover strip between saidmain body panel and said container-attaching flap, the opposite marginof said main body panel being provided with a closure flap juxtaposed tosaid opposite wall of the container and engaging the container-attachingflap, and said cover strip also providing a mailing and package closureportion including an addressing panel and package closure meansconnectedto said addressing panel for maintaining the cover in closelysurrounding relation to the container but providing for unwrapping ofthe cover to open the package for access to the container, said packageclosure means including said locking tab removably inserted into saidlocking slot.

10. A combined package and cover as dened in claim 9 wherein saidlocking tab comprises an index card, said mailing and package closureportion are separably connected to said closure flap, and said lockingtab index card is separably connected to the mailing and closureportion.

11. A combined package and mailing cover as set forth in claim 9 whereinsaid addressing panel has substantially the same dimensions as said bodypanel and is adapted to be exposed on one side of the package whenclosed,l

said vlocking tab is adapted to be reverse-bent intermediate its edges,and said mailing and package closure portion is separably connected tosaid closure ap.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,330,259 Goldberg Feb. 10, 1920 1,945,927 Watson Feb. 6, 1934 2,319,560Salshberg May 18, 1943 2,324,541 Salshberg July 20, 1943 2,522,256 CroftSept. 12, 1950 2,589,735 Salshberg Mar. 18, 1952 2,737,290 Volckening etal. Mar. 6, 1956 2,759,658 Sawdon Aug. 21, 1956 2,783,877 Volckening etal Mar. 7, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 186,115 Switzerland Nov. 16, 1936

